Happy Birthday Mom

Circa 1967, and yes folks, that's her true color!

Today is my mother’s 65th birthday. I can’t believe my mom is 65. I can’t believe she’s a GREAT GRANDMOTHER! She is a spunky and sprite little Great Grandmother if I ever saw one.

I’ve always looked up to my mom, and if I had to choose one word that described my mother it would be smart. It is something I always admired in her and it is has always been that which I have strived to be. She was the smart one, the one who could do almost anything. She raised 3 kids on her own, and even if we didn’t have everything, we had what we needed. The funny thing is that when I was growing up she was never the lovey dovey cuddly kind of mom. However, if you could see her with her grandkids, you’d see that she is more attached and emotional in her young old age.

I got really scared about 8 years ago when my Grandmother (my mom’s mom) died. That meant there was no buffer left. There was no one to keep heaven at bay. I started thinking about the day when my mom would be gone. I didn’t (and still don’t) know how I would ever make it through without my mom. I love my mom so much. I can’t imagine life without her in it. Mother and daughter relationships aren’t always the easiest. We’ve certainly had our times, but now I don’t know what I’d do without her. When times are tough she’s the one I always turn to, in other words, I call her almost every day. She’s always there for me, no matter what (even at 3 a.m.).

I know I say this all the time, but this posting was very difficult to write. I always have such a hard time expressing my true feelings. I feel things so deeply that when I write those feelings down they seem so one dimensional and my words never seem to do them justice. I want to do my mom justice. I want her to know how much I appreciate everything she has done for me. I especially love that she has been at the birth of all my children and that she has never gone more than a year without visiting us, even when we lived in Europe. She's really sacrificed a lot to make sure my kids know her. Although she'll tell you it's been her excuse to travel (and to visit a variety of Wal-marts) I know that it hasn't been easy to follow us around the world. I want her to know that I can never really repay her, but I will try my best to pass that devotion on to my own kids. I love you mom, happy birthday.

I finally graduated from college, and I don't know who was prouder.

She loves her Nickle Pickle.

Now that's true devotion, or was she to too drunk to notice Christian?

Four generations.

I think he likes his Great Grandmother, A.K.A. MeanMaw.